Heathrow group welcomes private investment proposals

Heathrow Southern Railway Limited (HSRL) has welcomed Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling’s remarks about private investment in rail links, made during a recent Transport Select Committee hearing on the Airports National Policy Statement.

At the hearing, and in response to a question by Plymouth Sutton & Devonport MP Luke Pollard (Labour & Cooperative), Grayling said: “We intend to invite proposals for private investment in southern access to Heathrow in the next couple of months. I think that there is a genuine opportunity there to lever in private financial support for that particular investment.”

Grayling also revealed that the Department for Transport is making passive provision at Old Oak Common for a station to serve Chiltern Railways trains.

HSRL Executive Director Graham Cross said: “The Secretary of State’s remarks recognise the importance of southern rail access to the future of Heathrow and the contribution private investment can make to its early construction.

“This new railway is needed even with the existing two-runway Airport.

“But if expansion is approved, Heathrow Southern Railway could be open before the additional North West Runway, bringing immediate mitigation to road congestion and air quality.”

HSRL plans to build eight miles of track from the west end of the existing Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 station, to enable trains to operate between Heathrow Airport and Waterloo via Clapham Junction, Putney, Hounslow, Twickenham, Richmond, Staines and other stations.

It will also create a new route to London between Basingstoke/ Guildford to Paddington via Woking, Heathrow and Old Oak Common.